memories

I'm going to make a compilation of family stories/events. My students are doing an assignment for their final in one class where they wrote out interview questions for a family member and then interviewed, wrote down the answers, and put it into a paragraph. It made me think about how much I don't know about the way my parents grew up or what my children won't know about how I've grown up if I don't take the time to remember and write it down. I'm hoping my family will contribute some of the things that I don't really remember or that happened before I was born that are important or memorable from our own little family's history.

Being part of a new family with Luke has helped me realize how important it is to do things right from the very beginning. By this I mean, if I want my children to grow up in a home that has Family Home Evening, we need to start having it now, making it part of our Monday nights from the very beginning. Last night Luke and I read The Living Christ together and talked about evidences in the world that Christ in fact lives today. We talked about the way people's hearts change during this time when we celebrate His birth, being more willing to sacrifice and to give of their excess to those who are need. We talked about how some people may not realize how Christ has influenced their hearts, but we know that the light of Christ is real and that it is in everyone. It gives people the discerning of bad from good. It motivates people to do good if they will just listen or choose to act on it. We talked about a lot of things and I think it's so important to just take time to remember or we won't let it be part of our everyday thought.

I'm grateful for so many things and know that I owe everything to my Savior, who has allowed a life for me that is so much greater than anything I could have achieved without him.

I'm grateful for challenges and trials that make me stronger and that allow me to grow closer to Luke, as we strive together to work through things and move forward.

I'm grateful for the feeling that I get when I look at Luke and can't help but smile.

unusual challenges

well i'm sure that everyone experiences great challenges in their professions, but how many people do you know who have gotten bit by their students?

we have a student who kind of panics when he feels too uncomfortable. he'll get frustrated about an assignment or about it being too noisy. usually he gives warning and we can calm him down with a social story he reads, but yesterday he skipped the warning steps and went straight to pounding me on the leg. nothing serious happened because i was able to pin him to the ground (with others helping me eventually), but i do have a large bruise on my left arm from him biting me and some bruises on my left leg from him striking my leg and clawing at it to try and get ahold of me.

i feel like now that i've experienced the worst of it (this was the worst it has ever been), i can handle anything. i was really able to defend myself without harming him or allowing him to harm any of the other students in the classroom. i reacted with a clear mind and without too much struggle besides the fact that he is much taller/stronger than me. as soon as my adrenaline wore off, i was a little overwhelmed by the situation. during the whole thing, this student didn't show any vicious or malicious intent. he honestly looked confused and horrified and it broke my heart.

i am fine. don't worry. i can handle a few bruises. when i get home tonight i will post the daily development of the bite bruise on my arm. day 1 wasn't too bad, but it's getting darker and bigger, so we'll see. i also have to get a series of hepatitis shots that the district will pay for (he didn't break the skin because he bit through my shirt, but this is more just as a precaution).

26. i am blessed with clear and quick reactions to crisis situations.
27. i am blessed with a husband who takes care of me, even when he himself is sick.

learning and humility

What am I supposed to learn from this? I need to sleep more. I need to pay closer attention to my health and to my body. I can't do everything. Healing is a slow process and I have to let it happen before jumping into everything again. It's okay to rely on other people. Sometimes I need help and there's no way of getting around it. Also, sometimes you just have to turn on the heater, even if you're trying to save money. Mono, mono, go away and don't come back for another day.

It was really nice saying goodbye to Luke this morning, knowing that he'll be home when I get home. We really have grown in our relationship as he has worked evenings. At church yesterday, my friend Becky said (applying to something completely different), "you can't miss something that never left." I know what it's like having to spend time without Luke and then getting to welcome him home. At least now we can be an old boring married couple and go to bed early. That's all I ever wanted :)

I made muffins out of the Amish Friendship Bread that Kate Outcalt gave me... they looked so perfect when they came out, but booooooo the bottoms were burnt. Our oven is no good and I think it would've worked better with just regular old bread pans. Only some of them were burnt, so I got to have one for breakfast and it was delicious. I'm gonna make it again in about 9 days.

Coming soon: Fall Photo Recap

23. I am blessed with challenges in my life that help me learn and grow.
24. I am blessed with a good sense of humor similar to my husband's.
25. I am blessed with a love for cool weather and hoodies (otherwise I'd be miserable by now).

I love India Arie. I bought her acoustic soul CD used at Half Price Books (less of a selection, but cheaper than hastings for used CDs). I've had it playing while I've been working around the apartment. Luke has to work a few of these Saturdays coming up... but I can't complain that much because he's moving to day shift starting on Tuesday! yay! His schedule will be similar enough to mine that we can ride in one car together at least for December before his classes start.

Our friends Matt and Ali moved back to Lawrence from Idaho and we got to hang out with them last night. We played Phase 10 and a game called Ripple with Skip-Bo cards. We're really glad to have them here!

20. I am blessed with a sister Lori who makes AMAZING caramel corn and was kind enough to share some with me.
21. I am blessed with a sister Kelly who helped me out a TON on Thursday night when I could hardly function and was supposed to take dinner to a friend.
22. I am blessed with a husband who holds the priesthood and was able to give me a blessing Thursday night when my mono symptoms started to come back.